Apparatus for the processing of fibrous and other materials including paper stocks



June 11, 1968 WE 3,387,795

APPARATUS FOR THE PROCESSING OF PIBRoUs AND OTHER MATERIALS INCLUDING PAPER STOCKS Filed Oct. 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. HOWARD BIDWELL ATTORNEY.

June 11, 1968 H. BIDWELL 3,387,795

APPARATUS FOR THE PROCESSING OF FIBROUS AND OTHER MATERIALS INCLUDING PAPER STOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1965 INVENTOR. HOWARD BIDWELL ATTORNEY.

3,387,795 AE EARATUS FGR THE PRQQESSING F FEBRGUS AND OTHER MATERIALS INCLUDING PAFER STOKS Howard Bidwell, 56 Aldrich Sh, Granby, Mass. 01033 (:ontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 118,756, May 5, 1961. This application Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,9il9

3 Claims. (Cl. 241-34) ABSlraACT 0F THE DESCLUSURE Bulk fibrous material preparing apparatus including primary and secondary components, the primary component having a bundle-receiving vessel with a make-up liquid inlet and a slurry recirculating inlet and a blended fiber slurry outlet, the vessel containing in journalled relationship therein a plurality of arcuately-arranged tandent-aligned parallel-disposed porous granular-bodied material loosening and moistening rolls augmented with a fiber dispersion roll, all rolls being companionably matched with pyramidally-shaped working-surface projections circumferentially arranged for the close-clearance counter-directional nip offset intermeshing of the rolls at substantially different rotative speeds of each adjacent roll for supplying the secondary component with a dispersed fiber slurry :"low, the secondary component having a receiving vessel provided with porous granular-bodied type companionably matched stator and rotor surface configured fiow influencing fiber-individualizing and moisturesaturating elements, the rotor element being of a nonfixed free-floating self-adjusting type positionally responsive to unbalanced hydraulic side thrust pressure conditions caused by slurry discharge back pressures during normal operation for variably pressurizing fibers caused to flow between the opposed stator and rotor Working surfaces according to the effective hydraulic head the soprocessed fiber slurry discharged in the normal delivery of the slurry to an elevated point for diverting a portion thereof for refining purposes as required and for returning the remaining portion to the primary component for recirculating and mixing with new liquid and new fibrous material for continued adequate moistening of the bulk material as loosened by the intermeshing rolls and for lending the so-moistened and so-separated fibers within the circulating slurry in a uniform dispersed condition for supplying the secondary component and maintaining the secondary component.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of ap plication Ser. No. 118,756, filed May 5, 1961, now Patent 3,227,606.

The invention relates to improvements in preconditioning methods and apparatus for moisture-conditioning unrefined bulk fibrous materials from an air-dry state to a completely moisture-saturated individualized-fiber slurry state preparatory to subsequent refining programs.

The primary object hereof is to provide improvements in the preconditioning apparatus exemplified in the parent application by so-called primary and secondary components interrelated for unitary operation and adapted to automatic control in a system which achieves, in economical manner, a complete moisturization of individualized fibers, to the end of obtaining: (1) an improved slurry of individualized fibers which will be not only free of the usually encountered fiber cutting and fiber disintegrating actions but also possessive of a more uniform fiber dispersion upon dilution to a formation consistency; (2) a States Patent 0 "ice reduction in the subsequent refining time required to ttain an accepted stock condition; (3) an accepted stock condition of an abnormally high stock freeness; and (4) a finished product characterized by abnormally high tear and other values.

The invention is not to be considered as restricted to the processing of dry stock materials, it being equally effective for the processing of drainer rag stocks as taken from drainers, lap pulp stocks, and other high density pulp stocks in a unitary integrated processing unit for the attainment of performance results not otherwise achievable and suitable for the incorporation of automatic controlling means such as exemplified in my copending application Ser. No. 315,589 filed Oct. 11, 1963.

The system is adapted as well for the full processing of unrefined stock material from bulk dry bundle or other form to an accepted stock condition with the elimination not only of all exposed metallic surfaces in the processing elements but also of all conventional stock pumping accessories, features peculiarly advantageous in the processing of stocks for sensitized papers.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, in cross-section, of a modified form of the apparatus shown in the parent application and exemplifying the primary component of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, in plan, illustrating the pyramidal contouring of the surface of one of the rolls operable within the vessel of the primary component;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, in cross-section, on a plane parallel with the planes of the axes of a pair of adjacent rolls, showing the pyramidal projections of the surface of one of the rolls in ofiset meshing relation with the pyramidal projections of the surface of an adjacent roll;

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 3, in a direction at right angles to the FIG. 3 view for purposes of illustrating the close clearances obtained therebetween;

FIG. 5 is a view, in side elevation with certain parts broken away, showing, in cross-section, the instrumentalities of a processor, herein identified as the secondary component, for augmenting the moisture conditioning and fiber separating actions of the primary component;

FIG. 6 is a view, in top plan, showing the novel contouring of the lower disc of the rotor assembly of the secondary component;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view, relating to the secondary component, illustrating, in full lines the bottom working face of the stator, and fragmentarily in broken lines the upper working face of the disc rotor of the companion rotor assembly;

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow line diagram, showing the primary and secondary components incorporated with suitable instrumentalities of a unitarily operated and controlled improved fiber moistening-separating-preconditioning system of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view, in cross-section, of a free-floating rotor assembly of the secondary component actuated by an auxiliary fluid from an external source;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an alternate arrangement for utilizing an auxiliary fluid in the pressurizing of fibers flowing between the opposed surfaces of the secondary component; and

FIG. 11 is a view, in top plan, of the impeller of the rotor assembly of the secondary component.

The apparatus exemplified in FIG. 1, delineated the primary component, serves as an improved type of fiber moistening and separating mechanism of the fiber moisture preconditioning system of the invention.

It comprises a vessel or chamber 10 having an arcuately-shaped pod-like bottom wall 12 having on abruptly curved end terminating in a horizontal plane vertically above the plane of the opposite abruptly curved end and connecting at said opposite ends to straight or planar top walls 14 and 16 so spaced relative to each other as to define therebetween an uppermost material-receiving opening 18. Walls 12, .14 and 16 are held with respect to each other by a pair of spaced, vertically-extending side walls 2% (only one of which is shown), to which walls they are secured at their opposite side edges in vessel-defining position.

A blended slurry inlet 22 and a liquid supply inlet 23 extend through bottom wall 12 adjacent its uppermost end and an exit 24 extends through bottom wall 12 at approximately the lower-most point of its arcuate configuration and in a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of the vertical center line of the vessel.

Opening 13 serves to receive therethrough such raw bulk material as may be charged into the vessel, inlets 22 and 23 serve to receive separate make-up fluent and recirculated conditioning slurry charged into the vessel for the moisture conditioning of the raw bulk material, and exit 24 serves to discharge the moisture conditioned slurried stock from the vessel.

Suitably journalled in side walls 26 at strategic positions therealong are the opposite ends of a plurality of parallel-disposed surface-contoured granular-bodied porous moisture-emitting rolls 26, 28, 30, 32, 3d and 36, sometimes delineated bulk material receiving rolls, the axes of same being disposed in an arc-defining relationship, the defined arc conforming substantially to the arcuate configuration of wall 12 and the outer peripheries of the rolls being substantially contiguous with the inner face of said wall 12.

The continuity of wall 12 is interrupted adjacent exit 24 by a downwardly-depending bulbous-shaped wall section 40 connecting at its upper end to said wall 12 and at its lower end to one side of exit 24 to define a pocket 42 communicating with the passageway of exit 24, in which pocket a dispersing roll 44, similar in construction to rolls 26-36, is nested, being journalled in suitable opposite side wall extensions 48 extending downwardly from respective side walls in pocket-closing relationship with wall section 40 and exit 24.

Dispersing roll 44 is positioned below the arcuate disposition of the rolls 2636 in meshing relationship with the lowermost roll of the arrangement.

Rolls 26-36 are adapted to be driven by suitable drive means (not shown) at successive increments of surface speed, roll 26 located adjacent slurry inlet 22 being the most slowly rotating roll and roll 36 located at the opposite end of the arcuate arrangement of said rolls being the fastest rotating roll.

The granular-bodied portions of the rolls are shaped while in their green unfired state to provide contouring upon their peripheral surfaces in the form of a network of uniformly-arranged, closely-spaced, four sided, pyramidal-shaped outwardly-facing projections 59. See FIG. 2.

The configuration of the pyramidal projections is ideally suited for achieving close clearances between rolls, as may be observed by reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 showing, for illustration, the meshing relationship of rolls 28 and 36. That is, in their mounting, the surfaces of adjacent rolls are configured in a matching manner sufficiently offset as to each other as to allow the projections of one roll to mesh counter directionally in between the projections of the next adjacent roll or rolls at their nipdefining area or areas.

With each roll rotating at a different surface speed, the pyramidal projections will be seen to provide the means for imparting a rapid, loosening, rolling and opening-up action in the raw bulk material M charged into the vessci, the material becoming increasingly moisturized in said movement as it is advanced by the successive rolls, each allowing an incrementally-increased rate of moisture absorption on the part of the so loosened material.

A fiber moistening, conveying and blending liquid slurry entering the vessel via inlet 22 flows therethrough with a major portion thereof being directed toward the revolving fibrous mass M. The fiow is dispersed by uppermost roll 26 to promote a rapid moisture absorption of the increasingly loosening mass and a rapid separation of the more moistened portions thereof. A realized increasing accessibility to moisture absorption is in direct ratio to the loosening and separating of the mass.

The fluent material flowing into the vessel is divided so as to flow in two ways over and around uppermost roll 26, one portion being directed toward and into the revolving mass of loosening fibers, the other portion being directed in the opposite direction adjacent wall 12 for collecting the fibers drawn through the roll nips of those rolls on the inlet side of dispersing roll 44.

The collected fibers are drawn through. the additional roll nip formed by dispersing roll 44 and its coacting roll 32 for achievin a more complete dispersion of the collected fibers within the collecting liquid slurry, prior to passing on to the about-to-be-described secondary component.

Moisture accessibility and moisture absorption are.

augmented by the nipping action allowed by the meshing projections of the rolls, inasmuch as they present increased complementing surface areas with close clearances therebetween, therewith to create counter directional drawing out actions upon the fibers.

Such fibrous material is conventionally circulated within large contained masses of agitated liquid. Contrariwise, herein, the provided small, light and compact apparatus contemplates a liquid flow within an agitated mass of fibrous material so that an accelerated rate of moistening and separating of constituent fibers is realized, requiring only a fraction of the power input required by the conventional means.

If desired, the moistening and separating action may be accelerated by an exploitation of the capacities of the granular-bodied rolls in the respect that the central bores thereof may be connected by suitable means to sources of fluids, independent of the white water source, such as low pressure exhaust steam Or other moisture penetrating agents, for the penetration of same through and outwardly of the moisture-emitting surfaces of the rolls. This i could be true of each of the rolls with the exception of dispersing roll 44.

The invention is not confined to the use of a single dispersing roll, but may, if desired, incorporate a second such dispersing roll (not shown), same being similarly mounted in a second companion pocket to permit its associated dispersing roll to oppose and coact with dispersing roll 44 in an ofiset meshed relationship subsequently to be referred to and also to oppose and coact with bulk material receiving roll 34 in a corresponding offset meshed relationship. In such case, said second dispersing roll would be operative at a different surface speed than that of dispersing roll 44 or of bulk material receiving roll 34 and in a direction of rotation such as to induce an outward flow through exit 24.

The secondary component now to be described is cooperant with the primary component and comprises a processor for more thoroughly completing the moisturesaturation of the separated fibers delivered thereto from said primary component to a more substantially-individualized condition and allowing a scoring action in the way of an abrasion of the slurry-suspended. separated fibers.

As shown in FIG. 5, the secondary component is constituted by an uppermost open-topped receiving vat 52 mounted upon and secured to a straight-sided verticallydisposed cylindrical housing 54 located therebelow.

A cylindrical outlet housing 56 is disposed vertically below and is secured to said housing 54.

Within housing 54, a fixed or stationary granularbodied porous stator 60 is nestably received, said stator being provided with an uppermost inwardly-facing cupshaped recess 62 communicating with a central verticallydisposed opening or bore 64 extending therethrough.

Recess '62 is provided with flow directing spirallyarranged contours 66 for directing the flow slurry passing into housing 54 from vat 52 in directions radially outwardly and upwardly from the center of the area defined by said rotor recess for attainment of complete blending of the slurry prior to its entry into and downward flow thrOugh stator bore 64. Bore 64 is provided with downward flow impelling contours 68 for purposes subsequently to be made clear.

A vertically-extending shaft-receiving member 70 mounts as will appear a free floating rotor assembly which complements the stator, and is closed at its upper eX- tremity for seating upon the upper extremity of a driving shaft 72 during normal idling position.

The rotor assembly comprises a shaft-receiving member 70, an uppermost granular-bodied impeller 74, a granular-bodied intermediate or central rotor 76, and a lowermost granular-bodied disc rotor 78.

The upper extremity of shaft-receiving member 70 is drilled and tapped to receive a rotor assembly holding cap screw 84 for the securement of impeller 74, and in turn intermediate rotor 7 6 and disc rotor 78.

intermediate and disc rotors 76 and 78 respectively are suitably provided with aligned vertically-extending bores for receiving therethrough shaft-receiving member 70, which member is splined to facilitate a sliding fit on driving shaft 72, said shaft being fitted with a mated fixed key or equivalent means so as to allow a physical lifting of the rotor assembly relative to driving shaft 72 during normal full load operation.

Impeller 74 may incorporate a plurality of two, or three, or four, two being shown, deeply-undercut vanes 86, best observed in FIG. 11, which are proportioned for purposes of propelling a strong slurry flow in two directions-horizontally or radially outwardly toward the Wall of recess 62 and vertically downwardly through bore 64, as will appear.

Central or intermediate rotor 76 is vertically-disposed so as to extend upwardly into the central opening of the stator and its outer periphery is formed with vertically arranged downward-fiow-directing spiral or worm-like contours 88.

Lowermost disc rotor 78 is a horizontally-disposed rotor having an upwardly-facing side-flow-including fiber pressurizing type of processing surface, as shown in FIG. 6, that is, said processing surface is provided with largemouthed backWardly-inclined tapering flow-including channels 96.

This processing surface is in opposition to and coplanar with the lowermost or bottom working surface of stator 60 which is provided with large-mouthed forwardly-inclined flow-inducing channels 92.

Channels 9a and 9.2 cooperantly serve to cause an intensified slurry flow of a positive discharge flow character through a discharge outlet 94 in outlet housing 56 communicating with a conduit 96, as shown in FIG. 8.

A continuous slurry flow is maintained between the opposed granular surfaces of the secondary component under the pressurized condition by virtue of the flowinducing effects of the under-cut vaning of granularbodied impeller 74, the spiral flow-inducing contouring of the granular-bodied intermediate rotor section 76, the flow inducing contouring 68 of the granular-surfaced stator bore, the flow-inducing wide mouthed backwardlyinclined channels 90 of the granular-bodied disc rotor 78, and the flow-inducing wide mouthed forwardly-inclined channels of the granular surfaces of the bottom face of stator 60, all further augmented by the plateau serrations of the granular surfaces in between the wide-mouthed tapered contoured valleys of said granular Surfaces. In sum, these cause a positive discharge flow under the said pressurized condition.

Stator 60 is provided with an annular trim edge lift) adjacent and at the top of the central bore.

Vanes 86 of impeller 74 having a capacity for propelling a strong slurry flow radially-outwardly and verticallydownwardly as aforesaid, that portion of the slurry impelled radially by the impeller passes over trim edge 10!) thereby to be diverted outwardly and upwardly over the rough granular spiralling contours 66 of stator 60 that cause a scoring action on the outer wall of the separated fibers in manner such as to lower the pressure above the impeller 74 due to the vortex effect caused by the horizontal flow induced by the impeller vanes. This vortex efiect lends a lifting tendency to the rotor assembly.

The downward flow impelliag contouring 88 of intermediate rotor section 76 is opposed by the downward flow impelling contouring 68 of the stator bore to offer an additional rotor assembly lifting tendency.

The force of the slurry impelled downwardly through the stator bore by virtue of trim edge 160, the force of the slurry impelled downwardly by the downward impelling contours of the intermediate rotor section, and the force of the slurry impelled downwardly by the downward impelling contours of the stator bore, are cooperant in a respect that they impart the lifting tendency to the free-floating rotor assembly.

Upward thrust forces causing the lifting of the rotor assembly are imposed by: (1) the upward thrust reaction caused by the under-cut vaning and vortex effects of impeller 74; (2) the upward thrust reaction caused by the downward slurry impelling action of the worm contouring of intermediate rotor 76; (3) the line friction of exit 94 of outlet housing 56; and (4) back pressure due to the elevation of the slurry in conduit 96 leading to the primary component and leading to the refiner through a connecting conduit 114.

With reference now to FIG. 8, I have illustrated, schematically, the primary and secondary components as adaptable to a unitarily operated and controlled system for achieving a more thorough conditioning and preparing of fibrous stocks for subsequent processing to an accepted stock condition in a continuous flow at increased volume capacities, in which system back pressure induced by the discharged slurry is transmitted to the freefloating rotor assembly in manner to pressurize the fibers flowing between the opposed processing surfaces of the secondary component by virtue of the static head created in satisfying the slurry circulating fio-w needs of the primary component, and wherein means are provided for creating any desired degree of additional back pressure for effecting a more complete moisturizing of the fibers processed by the secondary component.

Top slurry receiving vat 52 of the secondary component is provided with a suitably mounted slurry level sensing device 101 by which slurry levels within the vat cause signal impulses to be transmitted to a controller 102 connected thereto by cable line 104. The controller, upon receiving such intelligence, functions properly to control the modulating actions of a flow regulating valve 196 for increasing or decreasing the rate of passage of a unit volume of liquid through meter 120, on which passage, impulse contact register device 132 causes motor 142 to be energized, driving conveyor as to unload a proportioned bundle of fibrous material B, which bundle in so-unloading trips switch 146 that deenergizes motor circuit 14%, thereby to maintain substantially constant slurry levels within said secondary component automatically as further exemplified in my copending application Ser. No. 315,589 filed Oct. 11, 1963.

To ready the preconditioning system composed of the herein described improved primary and secondary components for automatic operation, a refiner bleed-feed valve 112 disposed in conduit 114 leading to the refiner is closed.

A manually-operated liquid flow regulating valve 116 in a main feed line 118 is then partially opened after first checking the reading of a liquid-supply meter 120 in said line 118 so as to obtain a fiow of the amount of liquid required to establish an approximate normal circulation flow volume through the primary and secondary components and the interconnecting conduit Q6.

Under the incorporated automatic control, liquid level signal device 181 serves to sense the liquid level within vat 52. If the slurry level in the secondary component varies appreciably, valve 106 is caused to modulate open or close so as to allow the maintenance of the desired slurry volume irrespective of the load imposed upon the system by the demands of the refiner.

Knowing the volume of liquid required to maintain a circulating liquid volume of a particular installation, bundles B of dry material are carried by a conveyor 130 and the required weight of dry material is deposited from the conveyor into the primary component by manually controlling the movement of the conveyor to establish the desired liquid-to-air dry fiber ratio equivalent to that for which a contact register 132 in a line 134 is set so as to maintain, under normal continuous operation, a constant predetermined stock density.

An approximate proper stock consistency thus circulating within the preconditioning system, the closure of an electrical control switch 136 will now allow the institution of automatic control of the continuous operation of the system at a predetermined constant stock consistency, so long as conveyor 130 is kept loaded with properly spaced and sized (by Weight) bundles of the fibrous stock and simultaneously for the opening of valve 112 for refiner feeding.

Automatic operation having been established by suitably incorporated controlling means, further successive passages of unit quantities of liquid will serve to energize a magnetic controller switch 138 in a line 140 which in turn will energize a gearhead motor 142 so as to cause the rolls of the primary component to be kept supplied with raw material as long as conveyor 130 is maintained in a loaded condition.

The processing rate, i.e. the frequency of admission to the system of the units of liquid volume to fiber weight, which rate is determinant of the capacity of the system, is regulated manually by adjusting flow regulating valve 116 for the temporary and starting purposes and in normal operation is regulated automatically by automatic liquid level control-sensing device 101 and the interconnected controller 102 and the responsive automatic flow regulating valve 106.

Contact register device 132 as exemplified in Ser. No. 315,589 is preset to close momentarily the circuit in line 134 upon the passage of a given quantity of liquid for maintaining a constant predetermined stock density with respect to the weight of dry bundles B. The closing of magnetic controller switch 138 causes conveyor 130 to deliver a stock bundle into the primary component, thereby to trip a limit switch 146 and thus to deenergize switch 138.

The speed of the conveyor gearhead DC motor may be regulated. by means of an AC-DC rectifier 150' and rheostat 154 as may be required to suit the selected volume of unit quantities.

Inlet fiow from conduit 113 to the primary component via inlet 23 is preferentially separated from inlet flow of blended slurry via conduit 96 and is in the form of a coarse spray as same is discharged over the top of the revolving mass M as the fibrous material is being opened up and loosened by the train of arcuately-arranged tandem-aligned rolls 26-36 travelling at different surface speeds in order to allow a more rapid moisture absorption. The spray desirably augments the wetting action of the blended slurry delivered to the primary component from the secondary component via conduit 96.

Were the fresh liquid not separately introduced and were conduit 118 to be connected. to conduit 96 at some point ahead of inlet 22, it is conceivable that under certain subnormal circumstances increments of fresh liquid could creep into the refiner via refiner feed line 114 with out realization of the fulfillment of its intended function unless a check valve. or equivalent means was installed in conduit 96 above the refiner feed line, which check valve would have the disadvantage of imposing an additional back pressure within conduit 96 and refiner feed line 114.

There being no advantage in increasing the pressure within the refiner feed line, and as under certain circumstanccs there could be a distinct disadvantage, the routing of the fluid in conduit 118 via a separate line and inlet to the primary component is indicated.

Nonetheless, there is a definite advantage in having the take-off of refiner feed line 114 from conduit 95 at a high enough point along said conduit and yet ahead of inlet 22 that flow to the refiner is under a non-varying static head, a desirable feature as respects the regulation or setting of regulating valve 112 in the refiner feed line.

To install the refiner feed line at a low point relative to conduit 96 would be to interfere with the proper functioning of the invention, such as obtaining the benefit of the static head of the entire discharge fiow for actuating the free-floating rotor assembly.

At this point, a further word on the supply of fluid through rolls 26-36 is indicated. Such supply, via a conduit 25, separate from and independent of the supplies via conduits 96 and 118, would be only under special conditions and circumstances where and when. a low pressure steam or special solution would be desired for introduction into the system for purposes of accelerating the processing effects or when a small flow of clear water would be desired during an interim period while said conduit 118 was conducting non-filtered white water inasmuch as such non-filtered white water is obviously not desired for feeding through the roll bodies at any time. Liquid flow so introduced by way of the rolls of course would be minor in volume with respect to that supply via conduit 118. conceivably, when clear fresh Water is supplied via conduit 118 and it is desired to supply same through the rolls, suitable connections could be provided to introduce the clear fresh water to the rolls via an interconnection between line 25 and conduit 118.

The wide mouthed tapered channels and 92 of the granular processing surfaces of the secondary component rotor and stator working surfaces are tapered to a dead ened at the respective perimeters of said surfaces, thereby to cause all'fiber slurry induced to flow therepast to be distributed out over the relatively wide granular surface areas of the close shallow parallel serrations in the surfaces and to tend to continue the progressive travel of the constituent fibers over and through a maze of cross angular fiber drawing actions by virtue of the angularity of said serrations under the aforesaid pressurized condition. Same creates an extensive scoring action on the fibers while causing a positive dis charge fiow thereof. Such positive discharge flow prevails as the slurry is discharged through outlet 94 and conduit 96 to an elevated point such as is required to maintain a flow of slurry through inlet 22 .of the primary component and also a flow of bled slurry for further refining through refiner bleed-feed valve 112 to the refiner, all of which imposes a back pressure on the underside of the free floating rotor assembly.

The secondary component is dependent upon the primary component for adequate raw material reduction to a free-flowing slurry for fiber separation to achieve the substantially individualized fiber condition and the primary component is dependent on the secondary component for an adequate slurry fiow above that required for refiner feed in order to function continuously in the production of properly moisture separated fibers uniformally blended to a constant predetermined stock consistency in accordance with refining volume processing rates.

Increase of the static head in conduit 96 increases the pressure under which slurry flows within said conduit 96, and by manipulating an adjustable back pres sure valve 155 disposed in conduit 96, additional increased pressures may be imposed on the fibers being abraded between the processing surfaces of the secondary component.

Because of the resulting positive flow characteristics created by the granular surfaces, the discharged slurry flow from the secondary component is delivered to the said elevated point so as to satisfy the blending circulation requirements of the primary component through its inlet and to insure an adequate refiner feed supply. Pressurizing is caused by the static or back pressure of the discharged slurry which is imposed on the free-floating rotor assembly in a manner to cause a more complete moisture-saturated fiber condition by virtue of the increased fiber scoring effects resulting from the pressurizing of the fibers over and between the opposed flowinducing granular processing surfaces of the granularhodi'ed elements 78 and 69.

By manipulating the back pressure of the slurry dis charge by means of the adjustable back pressure valve 160, pressurization of the fibers may be varied more or less as desired for more or less extensive moisturization by the scoring action between the fiow-inducing granular-bodied processing surfaces of members 73 and 6%.

A by-pass connection with back-pressure valve 161) may be arranged in conduit 95 for by-passing the back pressure valve, if desired.

The opposed granular processing surfaces of the stator and rotor which at no-load offer a relatively wide open clearance, are changed automatically to close the clearances under pressure only when a fiow of stock material has first been established between the said opposed surfaces as to prevent contact of the faces, an important feature in automatic operation, and allowing elimination of all mechanical non-flexible thrust devices that are subject to manual maladroit operation.

The flow-inducing granular processing surface offer relatively wide extensive angular inclined cross acting serrations in the granular-bodied and granular surfaced areas between feeding channels to promote high rate positive flow of the fibrous slurry during the pressurized scoring action that requires only relatively light imposed thrust pressures by virtue of the granular nature of said processing surfaces.

The variable light pressure cushioning effects of said applied pressurizing eliminates the rigid pressurizing of prior art mechanical devices.

The primary component thus will be seen to function to automatically reduce an air-dry and low moisture content bulk fibrous material to a more dispersed status within a blended slurry flow received by the secondary component and the secondary component slurry volume level will be seen to function to regulate and control the volume and rate of flow of bulk material and liquid receivable in the primary component in an automatic manner while simultaneously completing the moisturization of the fibers so individualized beyond that degree possibly achievable by the primary component. The primary component additionally functions automatically to maintain and control at a predetermined constant stock density all slurry flow volume-rate initiated by the secondary component and the secondary component additionally functions automatically to cause the primary component and hence the secondary component jointly to meet the refiner feed demand as may be initiated by a refiner feed or load regulating device.

Herein means are provided for actuating an expandable component member of the rotor assembly mounted on the driving shaft, wherein an auxiliary fluid from an external source may be used to reposition the free-floating rotor surface with respect to the opposed stator surface for the purpose of increasing the intensity of a fiber scoring action for more complete fiber saturation.

FIG. 9 shows a fragmentary cross-section elevation view of an expandable rotor assembly 249 with a flexible expandable circumferential element 242, secured by conventional means to the free-floating rotor assembly 280 on one side and the shaft secured flange 244 on the other side, forming an expandable fluid receiving pressure chamber in communication with an external auxiliary pressurizing fluid source by virtue of shaft duct 246 and rotary joint connections.

FIG. 10 shows schematically an alternate method of repositioning the movable rotor processing assembly by means of an external expandable member 35f), wherein the rotor assembly is rigidly fixed to a driving shaft 382 which extends outside the secondary component hous ng 354 and through suitable packing gland, not shown, so as to be driven by a belt driven pulley 352 and wherein the hub of the upper flange of expandable member 350 is secured to shaft 332, while the hub of the lower flange of the expandable member allows for shaft movement therethrough and rests on a thrust collar and sleeve journalled by a thrust bearing 355 as to cause shaft 382 to rise on the expansion of expandable member 350 by virtue of fluid being supplied under pressure thereto through a flexible hose connection 356.

Another alternative arrangement, not shown, for obtaining the equivalent objective, may be in the mounting of the expandable member 359 underneath the thrust bearing 355 to eliminate the need for a rotary joint or the necessity of conveying fluid through a rotating shaft.

Other means of altering the clearances between the granular processing surfaces may be used for obtaining the same objective, such as by repositioning of stator 60 with respect to the rotor assembly by way of a suitablyarranged circumferential expanding member or equivalent means.

A most unique feature embodied in this modification lies in the means of applying an auxiliary fluid for actuating the expandable device through the novel control of such fluid by means of a regulating device 353, actuated by a preset selective pressure type pilot device 360, which permits regulator 358 to function only after a flow of stock has been established through and between the processing surfaces so sensed by a signalling device 362 as to signal pilot 360 for allowing regulator 358 to act in the admission of fluid to the expanding member and the consequent closure of the gap between the processing surfaces under a predetermined selective pressure intensity so as to avoid a closure of such clearance gap prior to said stock flow therethrough.

While all such opposed surfaces are usually protected from actual contact by means not shown herein, but exemplified in my copending application Ser. No. 315,589 filed Oct. 11, 1963, and disclosed in FIG. 3 thereof, the no-load operation of close clearances of granular surfaces are permissible for short durations (prolonged idle operation is not recommended), all of which is very essential in automation operation and is not possible with conventional apparatus.

The automatic means for closing the clearance gaps only after a fiow of fibers has been established between the opposed surfaces eliminates the need for safety stops.

The unique features embodied in this invention respective to the processing surfaces are not necessarily confined to the disc type processing elements for these may also be of the cone plug and shell type as well.

The primary component utilizes the gravitational effects of both material and fluid in its function and coordination with the secondary component which in turn utilizes the gravitational effects of the slurry received from and more particularly returned to the primary component in the actuation of a self-adjusting free-floating rotor assembly augmented by the flow-inducing characteristics of its positive flow type of processing elements for improved processing performance and the maintaining of a slurry flow required by refining or other processing and the primary component regardless of the moisture condition of the raw unrefined stock bulk material conveyed to the primary component by the conveyor.

Various combinations of contouring and grooving angularities produce various flow volume characteristics.

Likewise combinations of flow-inducing and flow-retarding contoured and grooved granular bodied granularsurfaced processing tackle elements of the type exemplified and disclosed in my copending application Ser No. 93,272 filed Mar. 3, 1961 and now abandoned and my copending application Ser. No. 473,115 filed July 19, 1965 employed in this invention, produce discharge flow rate and fiber abrading characteristics of a particular pattern respective to the particular combination of tackle selected and the velocity such is operated at.

By such basic fundamentals, granular bodied or surfaced processing element tackle may be selected for any particular continuous fiow rate as to produce development characteristics beyond the range possible by conventional means, relative to accepted stock freeness, tear and other values.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 8 for the coordination between the primary and secondary component while being the same control methods system exemplified in Ser. No. 315,589.

The performance of the improved apparatus of the instant invention is far more effective processwisc, due to the novel embodiments thereof.

This is for the reason the bulk material is more effectively reduced to a superior dispersion within the slurry by the novel intermeshing configurations of the rotors within the improved type of primary apparatus and also due to the more effective fiber processing under nonrigid pressurized conditions by a free-floating rotor within the secondary apparatus, both jointly cooperantly adapted to the incorporation of an integrated automatically controlling system of the type exemplified in application Ser. No. 315,589.

While FIGS. 6 and 7 show both moving and stationary processing elements as having flow-inducing characteristics, the apparatus shown in FIG. is not necessarily confined to such flow-inducing types of processing elements tackle.

Having discovered the positive flow discharge characteristics of granular bodied processing elements caused by the granular surfaced processing surfaces characterized and exemplified in my copending applications Ser. No. 93,272. and Ser. No. 473,115, regardless of the angularity of the contouring and grooving of such surfaces, the discharge fiow rate from the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 may be varied through a wide range from high flow to low flow rates thereby making possible a more or less degree of fiber moisturization treatment to suit a wide range of types and variety of fibers by merely changing processing tackle elements having the particular angularity of surface configurations or combination thereof to meet a particular desired end result respective to fiber-moisture reaction.

The discharge fiow rate capacities of the apparatus may be altered by merely changing either the lower processing disc tackle element 78 alone or both this tackle element and the stator bottom processing face which may be provided as a readily demountable processing tackle element (not shown) for any particular degree or extent of fiber moisture reaction or treatment desired for a particular type of fiber.

By selecting a particular angularity of configurations or vaning as herein disclosed of the granular bodied processing elements having granular surfaces characterized by either of the types exemplified in my above mentioned copending application Ser. No. 93,272, or Ser. No. 473,- 115, further augmented by variations in the pressurization of the fibers caused to flow between the opposed surfaces of the type of the instant invention, reduces the need for further or subsequent refining of some types of fibers.

On other types of fibers, subsequent refining may be greatly shortened or reduced by employing refining apparatus of the type shown in FIG. 5 in series with the schematic arrangement shown in FIGv 8 and supplied by feed valve 112, by which arrangement a very simple, flexible processing system of wide versatility is possible by virtue of the variability of the fiber moisture reaction resulting from opposed granular surfaces of the type specified herein by which fibers are motivated under manipulated processing pressures that introduce variable freefloating rotor unbalance conditions responsive to the discharge how.

The free floating rotor shown in FIG. 5 is composed of three separate sections, any one of which may be replaced with other sections having different types of configurations when desired. Also the bottom rotor disc sec tion may have different types of configurations on each side. By turning over the disc section a change in this part of the tackle is easily made.

Also while the stator of FIG. 13 is shown as being monolithic, the stator may be made in several sections up to four as shown in FIG. 9, so that any one of the sections may be changed as desired, including the stator bottom face section, which may also be contoured on both sides with different types of configurations for turning over when desired.

The processing element surface configurations here exemplified are but one form that may be utilized in the apparatus more particularly for maximum slurry flow with minimum fiber retention within the processing phase.

Other configurations may be utilized within the scope of the invention that generate more moderate slurry fiow rates with an increased fiber retention for more extended fiber abrading effects that promote a higher degree of fiber moisture-cellulose reaction, merely by employing tackle elements of a different angularity of the surface configurations of the opposed surfaces from a less lagging angle of the rotating member While simultaneously decreasing the leading angularity of the stationary element to the point where the angularities may be com-- pletely reversed from that shown or any combination in between.

I claim:

1. Bulk fibrous material preparing apparatus comprising primary and secondary components, the primary component having a bundle-receiving vessel with a make-up liquid inlet and a slurry recirculating inlet and a blended fiber slurry outlet, said bundle-receiving vessel containing in journalled relationship therein a plurality of arcuatelyarranged tandem-aligned parallel-disposed porous granular-bodied material loosening and moistening rolls augmented with a fiber dispersion roll, all rolls being companionably matched with pyramidally-shaped working-surface projections circumferentially arranged for close clearance counter-directional nip offset intermeshability of the rolls for accommodating to substantially different rotative speeds of adjacent rolls in the supply to said secondary component of a dispersed fiber slurry flow, said secondary component having a receiving vessel containing porous granular-bodied type companionably matched stator and rotor surface configured flow influencing fiber individualizing and moisture saturating elements, the rotor being of a non-fixed free-floating selfadjusting type positionally responsive to unbalanced hydraulic side thrust pressure conditions caused by slurry discharge back, pressures during normal operation for variably pressurizing fibers caused to flow between the opposed stator and rotor working surfaces according to the eifective hydraulic head as the so-processed fiber slurry is discharged in normal delivery to an elevated point for diverting a portion thereof for refining purposes as required, the remaining portion being returned to said primary component for recirculating and mixing With new liquid and new fibrous material for continued adequate moistening of the bulk material as loosened by said intermeshing rolls, and blending the so-moistened and so-separated fibers within the circulating slurry flow in a uniform dispersed condition for supplying the secondary component and maintaining a substantially constant slurry level within said secondary component receiving vessel.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, with said secondary component being dependent on said primary component for the attainment of an adequate slurried fiber supply volume for achieving an individualized fiber condition for processing purposes, and with said primary component being dependent on said secondary component for the attainment of an adequate return of circulating slurry flow volume additional to the processing requirements for blending with new liquid and fibrous material inflow, and with said primary and secondary components being incorporated into a controlling system for the automatic control of metered liquid flow and conveyed bundled fibrous material movement in a predetermined liquid-to-fiber ratio at a entry flow rate adequate for maintaining automatically a substantially constant slurry level within the vessel of said secondary component vessel as modulatingly initiated by slurry level sensing devices.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, said secondary component being provided with external auxiliary fluid pressure receptive means for actuating a free-floating rotor whereby to increase the pressurizing efiects on fibers caused to flow between rotor and stator working surfaces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,145,935 8/1964 Wilson 241-34 X 2,331,455 10/1943 Cowles 24121 2,418,547 11/1947 Cowles 241-21 3,265,558 8/1966 Bidwell 241-157 X 2,912,174 11/1959 Bidwell 241157 X 3,058,672 10/1962 Zabel 24137 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

